G.I. Combat Vol 1 244
** ** ** ** ** Supporting Characters: ** Antagonists: * German soldiers Other Characters: * American WW1 Infantrymen Locations: * Argonne Forest, * Fort Riley, Items: * Thompson submachine gun Vehicles: * * Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger Single-Engine Aircraft * Panzerkampfwagen IV | StoryTitle2 = Body Count | Synopsis2 = The bayonet of a young private named Arnie Heller reminisces on its purpose in life. As Pvt. Heller uses it to kill an attacking Japanese soldier, it remembers it's training back at Fort Benning, and later in combat when Arnie discovered its many uses, like sending messages with a bandanna tied to its end, gouging the mud out of a tire, or even such simple uses as a can opener. But it was in the Solomon Islands where Arnie drew a special patrol and found the ultimate use for it. Pvt. Heller and his squad are informed that the Japanese are preparing to attack. They are ordered to knock out their communications and stop them before they can even get started. His Captain assigns Pvt. Heller two men to infiltrate the Japanese main communications center and destroy it. Arnie and his squad make it through the enemy lines, but find the communications center to be full of dozens of Japanese soldiers. Arnie has an idea, and tosses his bayonet through the tent flap at the terminal connection for the Japanese power generator. It hits, throwing the communications center into darkness. Arnie and his men attack! They manage to overpower the Japanese and destroy the center, halting the attack on the American lines. But Arnie is killed during the fight, his bayonet lying next to him. It had one last purpose to fill - staked into the ground to mark the grave of one brave American soldier. | Editor2_1 = Murray Boltinoff | Writer2_1 = George Kashdan | Penciler2_1 = Mar Amongo | Inker2_1 = Mar Amongo | Colourist2_1 = | Letterer2_1 = Esphidy Mahilum | Appearing2 = Featured Characters: * Pvt. Arnie Heller Supporting Characters: * Unnamed American soldiers Antagonists: * Unnamed Japanese Soldiers Other Characters: * Unnamed American Infantry Captain Locations: * Solomon Islands, * Fort Benning, Items: * The Bayonet | StoryTitle3 = Soldier in the Sky! | Synopsis3 = June 5, 1944: As the General staff convenes for a final briefing by General Eisenhower at Supreme Allied Headquarters in London, the staff are informed that the main attack on Normandy Beach will begin in less than six hours. Colonel Harlan, one of the General's staff, informs the General that the attack is 24 hours too soon. His meteorology reports state that there will be heavy nimbus acceleration at that time, meaning that the sky will be too cloudy for air support. His suggestion is that the attack should be postponed. On June 6th, with the weather clearing, the Allied forces storm the French coast. After the main attack, Colonel Harlan and his meteorology specialists arrive on the beach under fire. Shortly after, at Division Control, they send up an atmospheric weather balloon containing sensitive radio instruments to transmit the conditions, is sent up. The information obtained is sent to Lt. Alan Curry, who relays them to the waiting artillery units. This information is used to plan the attack on the German lines, clearing a route for the advancing American infantry. But not long after, the American lines are forced to fall silent, having moved so fast as to outrace their supply lines and ran out of ammo. The Germans halt their retreat, counter-attacking. Working fast, Lt. Curry takes control of a single-wing spotter plane. He flies it up into the clouds, and is quickly spotted by German artillery and destroyed. Col. Harlan watches as the plane, and his comrade, are destroyed in a great ball of fire. Moments later, the clouds begin to stir. Lightning strikes, and it begins to rain! The rain soaks the ground, bogging down the German artillery and tanks in the mud. Col. Harlan realizes that Lt. Curry must have filled the plane full of dry ice he got from an ambulance in order to seed the clouds - a familiar weatherman's strategy. He gave his life to create the rain. | Editor3_1 = Murray Boltinoff | Writer3_1 = | Penciler3_1 = | Inker3_1 = | Colourist3_1 = | Letterer3_1 = | Appearing3 = Featured Characters: * Colonel Harlan * Lt. Alan Curry Supporting Characters: * Antagonists: * German Infantry soldiers Other Characters: * American Medics Locations: * , * , Items: * Atmospheric weather balloon Vehicles: * Panzerkampfwagen IV * American spotter plane * Dodge WC-54 Ambulance | StoryTitle4 = Mercenaries: "Killing is a Business" | Synopsis4 = At the café La Ronde on the left bank of the Seine in Paris, the three Mercenaries - "Prince" Edwards, Horst Brenner, and Gordon, are trying to decide where to bring their business next when they are approached by French Foreign Legion agents threatening to bring them to justice for deserting the Legion. They are held at gunpoint, but with some quick action the Mercenaries are able to get away by knocking the agents down with their café table. The three try to run across the bridge, but a roadblock set up to block their escape pins them in a crossfire. With only one escape route left, the Mercenaries jump from the side of the bridge down into the waters of the Seine below. They are picked up by a freighter and pay the Captain passage in wet Francs to give them safe passage away from the city. That night, as the freighter puts out to sea, the Mercenaries make their decision about their next mission... Sierra Verde. Now in Sierra Verde, and far away from the Legion's agents, the Mercenaries first pick up weapons, uniforms and a jeep from a local arms trader then make their way towards the village that had been advertised. They find the village to be a smoking rubble, but the villagers had escaped and informs them that they were attacked by soldiers of Colonel Furioza. They are told that Col. Furioza and his band of murderers steal their food, seize they women, and force the villagers to serve as slaves. Upon hearing the story, the Mercenaries ask how they will be able to pay them, and the villagers bring out their most valuable possessions, paying them with wedding rings, pigs, goats, and even offering them their women as wives! The Mercenaries refuse the payment but take the job, deciding to collect their fee from Col. Furioza. One of the villagers granddaughters, a woman named Paloma, offers to guide them to Furioza's hideout. After filling backpacks with supplies from their jeep, the Mercenaries and Plaoma head out towards the cliffs. Using a plan inspired by the marines at Iwo Jima, the Mercenaries plan to blast Furioza and his men out of the caves where they hide. Gordon is sent to recon the area around the caves by himself, and during his mission he spots Col. Furioza himself riding up the trail towards the caves on his horse. Gordon jumps him, knocking the Colonel unconscious. Then, stealing the Colonel's uniform, he disguises himself as Furioza in order to get a closer look at the caves and plant the explosives. On his way he is spotted by Prince and Horst who, not knowing it's their friend, shoot at him. Gordon manages to escape death by his comrades and enters the caves. As he is planning the explosives, Col. Furioza arrives wearing Gordon's uniform and is immediately shot down by his own men. Gordon finishes setting the explosives and escapes the caves just as one of the soldiers trips the wire and sets off a tremendous explosion that kills everyone within the cave system. Back at the village, Paloma readies herself to be handed over to the Mercenaries as payment for their services. They accept the payment, buy tell Paloma that they'll return for her in five or ten years, when she's grown up. | Editor4_1 = Murray Boltinoff | Writer4_1 = Robert Kanigher | Penciler4_1 = Vic Catan | Inker4_1 = Vic Catan | Colourist4_1 = | Letterer4_1 = | Appearing4 = Featured Characters: * ** ** ** Supporting Characters: * Paloma Antagonists: * Colonel Furioza * French Foreign Legion agents Other Characters: * Freighter captain * Arms dealer * Latin American villagers Locations: * , ** * Sierra Verde, Vehicles: * Ocean Freighter * Jeep Wagoneer | StoryTitle5 = Haunted Tank: "The Last Cavalry Charge" | Synopsis5 = Rick has been released from the field hospital after the wounds he sustained from the last battle, and while on recuperation leave in town is told by the others of Slim's death. Rick takes the news hard, and tries to drink himself drunk to forget it. While the others console Rick, Sgt. Craig takes a bowl of sugar cubes and feeds them to a nearby horse, an old cavalryman's habit. Returning back to base later that day, Jeb and his men are given a new assignment - to head for Boileau and back up the Anzacs that are defending a bridge near the town. On the way to the bridge, Rick and Craig get into an argument. Rick doesn't like Craig, and believes that he can never take the place of his lost friend Slim. When the Haunted Tank arrives at Boileau, they find the bridge being blown to bits by an attacking German bomber plane. Craig immediately jumps into the gunner's position out of habit, and is scolded by Rick who sharply tells him that he's the gunner and Craig is to load him. Rick takes careful aim and is able to shoot down the bomber with only one shot. With the bridge down and the American Infantry quickly moving towards them, Jeb orders the tank to be moved into a position in the water to protect the downed bridge. The infantry is still able to cross by climbing down and across the damaged bridge sections in the water. Their crossing is interrupted by an approaching Panzer tank, who begins to take shots at the American troops in the water. The Haunted Tank moved through the water to get a clear shot at the Panzer, and then destroys it with an armor-piercing shell at point-blank range. The Panzer rolls into the water, causing the water level to begin rising over the gun-level in the Haunted Tank. Jeb orders his crew topside, just as a German assault gun appears by the side of the river. The crew of the Haunted Tank pour everything they have with their handguns, but they are no match for the German tank. Sgt. Craig dives into the water, swimming for shore. As he reaches dry land, he can hear Rick call him a coward for running from the battle. As the Germans move in for the kill, Craig appears behind them, riding a horse he had seen earlier in a field as they approached the village. The Germans turn their attention to the lone rider, but Craig is able to get close enough to the gun and throw a grenade into its hatch. The Assault gun is destroyed! AS Jeb and the others watch as Craig appears on the shore to signal them that all safe, Rick admits that the sergeant isn't a coward after all. In fact, he's crazy enough to be one of them! | Editor5_1 = Murray Boltinoff | Writer5_1 = Robert Kanigher | Penciler5_1 = Sam Glanzman | Inker5_1 = Sam Glanzman | Colourist5_1 = Anthony Tollin | Letterer5_1 = Gaspar Saladino | Appearing5 = Featured Characters: * ** ** ** ** Supporting Characters: ** Antagonists: * German bomber crew * German Artillery soldiers Other Characters: * American Artillery commander "Skipper" * Australian and New Zealand Army Corps ("ANZACS") soldiers * American Infantry soldiers * French farmer Locations: * Boileau, Items: * Mk. 2 hand grenade * Sugar cubes Vehicles: * * German Heinkel He 111 H-20 German bomber * German Panzerkampfwagen IV * German Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G Assault gun | Notes = * The second story "Body Count" is told from the viewpoint of a bayonet. * Both the writer and artist for the third story "Soldiers in the Sky" are uncredited. | Trivia = * Slim Stryker, who dies this issue, is the second of the Haunted Tank crew to be killed in battle during World War 2. The first, Arch Asher, was killed back in G.I. Combat #162. | Recommended = | Links = }}